Never Enough
by C-chan96
Summary: You go through life with a smile on your face; everyone’s got a mask to hide their inequities. Let’s face it, no one wants the world to know about his or her imperfections. Sometimes it slips through...You’ll never be enough. [Charlie Angst] [COMPLETE]
1. Prologue

A.N- Alrighty, my people. This is going to be a short, 5 chapter series of...well, you'll just have to see I guess. I warn you the chapters are going to be short, but that's because it's supposed to be like snapshots. It's angst, of course. Surprise surprise.

Disclaimer- I don't own the Mighty Ducks...It comes as a big shock, I know.

-Prologue-

You go through life with a smile on your face; everyone's got a mask to hide his or her inequities. Let's face it, no one wants the world to know about his or her imperfections. Sometimes it slips through, though.

Sometimes no matter how hard you try, you'll always be a screw-up.

Sure, you can play the game you love with all of your friends. That makes it all better, right?

You can hide behind the scholarship to Eden Hall. Attending a school in which the leaves on the trees in the courtyard are worth more than your life makes it all better, right?

You can try your hand at love. Finding a nice girlfriend to focus on and give your heart to makes it all better, right?

You can put your soul into trying to save your deteriorating marriage, no matter how bad it gets. If you struggle hard enough, it'll all get better, right?

Wrong.

Because no matter how much you love the game, you always blow the shot.

And no matter how prestigious the school, you'll never fit in.

No matter how hard you try, you'll never add up to her expectations.

No matter how desperately you try to keep something solid in your life, it always slips away easier than you can let go.

You'll never be enough.


	2. Part 1

Allie- Thanks hun. I'm glad you like it. ::huggles lovingly::

Stef- ::grins:: Thanks for the review, Stef. Hee. Happy to hear that you like it. ::dances::

Meme- ::tackleglomps:: Hee. I totally feel privileged! ::faints from the rush of specialness:: Thanks though. :P Hehe...yeah. We should do that. We're kinda mean to them...::shifty eyes:: I'll be looking forward to it. ::grins::

Sarah- I'm happy to hear it. The "snapshot" thing is definitely different from my usual style, but I thought that it really fit with what I'm trying to do. You'll see how as you read. ::pretends to be mysterious:: :P Lol...thanks for reviewing, hun.

Banksiesbabe99- Whoo! I _intrigued_ you! ::dances:: Yeah...I've been playing with this idea for about a week, and I decided now that Shattered Glass is over, I might as well go for it. :P And I even have a plan so there's no chance of writer's block, even if it'll only be, like, five chapters. XD Aww, you're so sweet. Hehe...::shifty eyes:: HOW DID YOU GUESS?! Lol...just kidding. I wish I was though. ::giggles::...::glances around nervously::...::hides::

Katie- ::glomps:: So nice to see you again, Katie! Now that is a compliment right there; I feel honored that I manage to make Charlie a lovable character for you. I'm so glad you like it! ::dies with happiness::

Adriana- ::giggles:: Yeah, I guess that is a bit of a shocker. I wasn't sure if I was capable of such a thing, but this doesn't have as much to build on storyline-wise. You'll see how I couldn't make 70 chapters out of it once I get a chapter or two more out. XD Lol...I might, I repeat might (not sure at all yet) do a related story after I finish all the other stuff I have loaded on my plate. I still haven't finished One Way Ticket and I have a separate Charlie/Connie story brewing for me and Meme's plan to convert the fandom to C/C fans. XD Uh oh. ::fears the voo-doo doll:: Lol...I hope you like my 5 short chapters.

Blonde-brain- I'm glad you like it. Thanks for the review!

Amber- Hee...w00t! ::dances:: Charlie angst is awesome. Yup. ::nods:: Yes, so I noticed. ::gives Amber a sad look and pets her Charlie angst chapter from "Life is a Soundtrack":: Anyway, I'm so glad you like it! ::bounces and grins::

Katie to the Second Power (Pure-Pen)- Heya, fellow RPG-er! ::grins:: Whoa, I actually recognize your screen name! ::makes connections in mind:: I ACTUALLY KNOW WHO PEOPLE ARE!! ::dies from excitement:: Hehe. It's a big thing for me to figure this kind of stuff out. XD Yeah...I'm gonna stop before I further degrade everyone's outlook on my sanity. ::smiles sweetly:: I'm thrilled that you liked the prologue. ::dances from happiness:: I hope you enjoy the chapter. :P ::continues dancing, muttering things about taking over the world and rebels without...errr...with a cause::

Disclaimer- I give you three guesses, and the first two don't count...

-Part 1-

Ten-year-old Charlie Conway skated out onto the ice, his gaze passing over the big black-jerseyed giants surrounding him and his teammates.

The Hawks.

He self-consciously pulled his helmet on tighter, unable to peel his eyes from their sharp, shining skates, brand new hockey sticks, expensive equipment, and oppressing black jerseys that said "we're better than you" more forcefully than any bright neon sign ever could.

The puck was dropped and like a picture brought to life, the giant black blurs ripped after it, knocking down the smaller opposing force. Black and red smeared across Charlie's vision as the puck slid down the ice with the Hawks; the red smear was the members of Charlie's team, District Five, being pummeled into the ice as they fruitlessly pursued the two untouchable sources of black: one being the puck and the other being the Hawk in possession of it.

Like clockwork, Charlie saw the puck fly past Goldberg and into the net with little to no resistance. It had come to be expected that the Hawks would win.

The Hawks always won.

And the simple fact was that District Five always lost.

The stands were filled with screaming parents clad in jet-black sports jackets, the sign of the hawk shining like a medal of some sort. A symbol of honor and worth in the peewee hockey league. To be a Hawk was to be the best.

And everyone knew it.

The Hawks knew it...any team within the state of Minnesota (and likely other states, for that matter) knew it...parents of said players knew it...everyone who paid even the most remote attention to peewee hockey knew it.

And that's why the Hawks' side of the stands were packed full with cheering fans while the lonely District Five side had a few parents scattered and the unfortunate Hawk fans who hadn't arrived in time to get the seats they wanted.

No one came to see District Five out of free will.

Charlie suddenly noticed the puck had been dropped again and was soaring in his direction. He felt his palms go sweaty and his heart race. The rhythmic pounding found it's way to his head as the small black object flew towards him, suddenly morphing into a shiny wire of hope. A hope that they may have a chance if he could just get it in the net.

The boy brought his stick to the familiar, yet foreign, object and took off for the Hawk zone. He felt the ice slide easily under his skates, and for a few seconds, he felt like he was flying. Soaring. Untouchable.

His heart skipped when he felt the presence of several Hawks behind him. He was on a breakaway and getting closer to the goal.

But then without warning, a wave of panic shot through his body like a knife through the skull. The presence of the opposing force behind him suddenly felt so much closer...so much more threatening. He felt suffocated and began wondering, _What if I don't make this?_

Feeling his hands begin to shake and the pressure seize him, a chill of fear took over the former warmth and he swung his stick, desperately hoping it would magically go in...

...but logically knowing it wouldn't.

It never did.

Time stood still for a split second while Charlie felt his body fall to the ice in slow motion, his mind racing. Did he hit it? He hadn't felt the puck on his stick when he swung.

Not much more time was given for thought before time regained its normal pace, hurling him against the boards head first. Deep down he knew he had missed. He didn't need supersonic hearing to hear the groans, snickers, and "I told ya so's" that were surely floating around the bench of his own team. For being his best friends, they weren't the most supportive group.

He weakly pulled himself up, trying to hold on to any scrap of dignity left in his small, tired body. Before he was even completely on his feet, he felt a body smash roughly into his, impressing him against the boards again before he hit the ice.

Cheering roared around in a noisy clamor, the crowd obviously amused by it all. The Hawks crowd, at least. The District Five side was silent, minus a few voices yelling "It's okay!" and other similar phrases.

He was half terrified to go back to the bench. His new coach's vibes of disappointment and disgust were so strong that Charlie could feel them come down on him before he even mustered the strength to stand again. Half of him was afraid he'd be knocked down again.

As he waited a short second longer to get up and return to his certain doom, he sighed and wished that this once he could have been enough.


	3. Part 2

A/N- Heh, okay, this one's short(er) because I realized I really didn't have a lot to say...so...heh...yeah, expect shortness. Chels is a mondo loser...don't make fun...I love you ALL! ::huggles:: You know, for this story I think I'm gonna put the review replies at the bottom...considering they could possibly be longer than the chapter itself, and that makes me look bad. XD Enjoy.

Disclaimer- Chels doesn't own "The Mighty Ducks!"

-Part 2-

The shadow cast by the sun gave the building an ominous glow...not that it needed the sun's help to appear ominous, but that was beside the point.

Throngs of fellow high school students pulsed throughout the campus, surrounding Charlie Conway and his friends, the new Eden Hall Freshman Warriors. The crowds moved with purpose...with dignity...with the mark of the privileged.

Only one among Charlie's friends even remotely resembled the crowd of super-teen clones that almost exclusively made up the Eden Hall population. Adam Banks, ex-Hawk. He of course resembled them because even if he had not won scholarships with the team, he'd be attending the prep school anyway. On the surface he was one of the "rich preppies," but Charlie had been relieved to discover there was a decent person and good friend hiding underneath those hideous polo shirts and odd-looking hair. Otherwise he doubted they would have their first line center. He'd have split a long time before.

But just looking around, Charlie couldn't help but notice how their unique group seemed to stick out. Not even necessarily clothes wise in a sense, but just in the vibe sent out. It was like the prince and the pauper, just without the good-natured trade-off part of the story. It was slightly less accepting than that.

No one dared come out and say it, but he could already feel a rift growing between them and everyone else. There was an unspoken understanding.

Charlie separated from the group and split to his class. He felt like half of his defense had been torn away when he was by himself in the crowd. His identity was shaken a little when enclosed in a practically foreign environment...a world he had never experienced.

Just seeing people wearing shoes that could be worth enough to buy a used car in his neighborhood made the apprehensiveness grow a little.

He calmed his nerves and walked in to the classroom. Glancing around he could tell it would be a rough year. Each girl was perfectly groomed and every guy wore the most expensive outfit he could likely muster...or maybe that was just what the entire wardrobe looked like.

Making his way to his seat, he tried to brush off any self-consciousness nipping at the edge of his mind. He wasn't self-conscious by nature; he was known for his confidence and leadership among his friends...but something about it all made him feel...inadequate. Like he didn't belong.

And deep down he knew he didn't. He wasn't sent to million-dollar schools growing up. He didn't live in a mansion. He didn't drive the most expensive, topnotch car on the market. He didn't even _have_ a car.

He'd never fit in. He'd never be enough.

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Sarah- ::giggles:: Yeah. Ooh, thanks! That really is a big compliment. I'm glad the describing came out right; I'm afraid of over-doing it sometimes.

Adriana- Hee. Yes, I agree that it's an awesome undertaking. It's a rough job, but somebody's gotta do it! ::puts on a cape and flies around:: Hee hee, ya know, fest IS a wird word. o.O Hee. Hee. FEST! ::says is a bunch of times::...Ya know, when you say a word a bunch of times, it's starts to sound funny...like "fork"...fork is a weird word too. ::nods:: Yay! Chicken! ::giggles::...Aww, I updated! You don't have to hide anymore.

Allie- Aww, 6:30am is early! :( Don't bash your head, sweetie. ::giggles:: Yep. ::nods:: I know what syntax is...and I'm actually enjoying going over it, even though I already know what it is. It's giving me extra insight on sentence structure and ways to give certain effects. Before I even got the lesson, I did a lot of it anyway. Now I just know WHY I did it. Lol. Yay for Allie and her syntax! ::claps:: Aww, Alllie, you write good! Don't say that! ::bops you gently on the head:: And I like C/J and fluff too; I'm just broadening my horizons. :P ::huggles and glomps:: Love ya, hun!

Tiff- ::grins:: I'm glad you like it. ::dances::

Katie- Hee hee. XD ::waves dramatically back:: HI KATIE! Aww, that would be so sad. Hee hee. I'm a pretty skilled recognizer...er...heh...shh, leave me alone. :P ::feels oodles and love from the review:: Thanks so much! All of that made me feel super good about myself. XD I'm really glad you liked those two parts...I nearly cried while writing it, and I'm the author! That part in the movie always makes me so sad...::sigh:: But I don't mind you blathering, Katie. XD Worry not. ::huggles:: Thanks so much for the review, hun, and I hope you like the chapter.

Meme- Ahh, Meme my dear. Aww, poor Charlie! XD Our poor sweet Charlie...::pets and hugs him:: We love him anyway! Stupid mean Hawks and Bombay! ::protects Charlie::...Anyway, thanks for the review, Meme. ::bounces:: Talk to ya later!

Banksiesbabe99- Yes! DEPTH! You said it had depth! ::dances:: Heh...::shifty eyes::...::giggles:: You know, I could see this going on for a long time too, but I'm afraid to say it won't be. I'm playing around with an idea of doing a related and longer story along these lines, but not until after I finish this, One Way Ticket, and my precious Charlie/Connie plot bunny. And My Dawson's Creek story that hasn't been updated in months. XD And I still have that sequel...GAH! I'm too busy! Lol. Aww, you're so sweet! ::giggles and hugs:: I love writing, so maybe someday I'll give an original piece a try. If I ever do, I'll tell you. Lol. SCORE! ::dances:: I'm so excited about D4; I heard about it on LJ with articles as evidence and everything. And it's supposed to have lots of Charlie! ::dies with happiness:: I think they are giving Joshua Jackson and possibly Emilio Estevez LOADS of money for it. Like, A LOT! Those are the only two I've heard about, but there is a chance of there being others of the originals. Lol. ::tacklehugs:: Love ya, hun. Hope you enjoy.

Blonde-brain- I'm glad you like it.

Stef- Stef! ::glomps:: Hee. Well, actually...::glances around nervously:: That might be a slight problem. But I'm thinking about a plot bunny for a D1 story once I finish everything else on my plate. And I'll put Peter in it especially for you if it ever gets from my mind into MS Word! XD

Preciousbabyblue- I know, right. Stupid Hawks. ::bites them:: Heh. Thanks again, and I hope you like the chapter. :P

Brnnttebabe12- Nah, it's all good. Lol. Thanks for the review.


	4. Part 3

A/N- Okay, as it turns out, all except the first part are turning out shorter...but that's okay. They'll just be short and...errr...sweet? No, that doesn't fit...umm...angsty! There we go, angsty. Heh. Yeah...well, I'm sorry this took so long. o.O My life has been hectic with the death of my aunt, school getting harder, preparing for and taking PSATs, and starting driver's ed, but I'm trying my dears. :) And again, replies to reviews are at the end.

Disclaimer- Don't own, don't sue.

-Part 3-

Words echoed in his mind as he walked around the park, autumn leaves floating gracefully through the air, paying no mind to the shadow of broken heart in their midst.

The dying grass beneath his feet crunched, and he couldn't will away the deep-set frown on his face. His eyebrows seemed permanently furrowed, and his hands were glued to the lining of his jean pockets.

Linda had broken up with him for the third time in the past four years...this time it was for good.

The first time had hurt, but he had tried to move on and hadn't been extremely attached. They had only dated for a few months, and it wasn't anything too serious.

The second time seemed to cut deeper because it had been their two-year anniversary.

He knew now that he should have cut it off there. Stopped it before it could get any worse. Shed the shell of his underclassman relationship and moved on to something more productive for the both of them.

Turned out they had both been playing their parts. Turned out she wasn't as interested in him as he had thought for his entire high school career. Turned out his relationship hadn't been as perfect as he liked to pretend it had been.

She was apparently bothered by the amount of time he spent on hockey...They had discussed it time and time again, but he wasn't sure if she understand how much he needed it. How he couldn't just ask daddy for the money and be whisked away to college on a white horse. It wasn't going to happen. Everything depended on getting a hockey scholarship. It was as simple as that.

Not that it mattered anymore.

He sat on a bench and propped his elbows on his knees, staring forward.

The gaping hole in his chest seemed to grow larger just thinking about it. He had put everything into the relationship...tried harder than he obviously should have tried. Tried to force it into some perfect mold that it would never fit in.

But it didn't fit...she made that perfectly clear in action, even if not particularly in words. Apparently the whole time she had a growing thing with Banks. They had done a project together, and it seemed _his_ obsessive-compulsive behavior over hockey didn't bother her one little bit. Surely not enough to refrain from seeing him on the side for several months without saying anything, thus leaving it to be spilled by Connie, who was feeling bad for knowing about it and coming to the conclusion that it was her duty to let him know.

One-upped by Banks once again.

As much as he appreciated Connie, he really wished he could have heard it from Banks or Linda.

But as it turned out, sometimes you don't really know people as well as you thought you did.

Just when you open your heart and allow yourself to be vulnerable, someone crushes your heart. Just when you think you've found someone to love you and give you the acceptance you pretend you don't need, they turn their back on you.

And just when you learn to trust someone with your innermost thoughts and feelings, the truth comes out.

Seems that you'll never add up. You simply aren't enough.

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Sarah- Thanks! :) Glad you liked it.

Mary- Hee. I guess I can forgive you. Lol. Bwahaha...I angst that boy like crazy. Poor thing. XD We're terrible. Heh. But he at least gets happiness in the RPG; I'm not TOTALLY mean. Lol.

Agel15- I'm glad you like this one too! Thanks for the review, hun.

Blonde-brain- ::beams:: Thanks, I'm glad you like the snapshot idea.

Banksiesbabe99- Whee for McDonalds. XD I'm glad you feel the angsty-ness! So glad you it. ::hums the McD's tune for you:: Hee hee. Thanks again, hun.

Preciousbabyblue- Lol, I know right. :P

Quimbers- ::dies of shock:: I made you feel sorry for Charlie? I feel so...so _honored_. :P Hehe. But really, thanks for the review. I feel absolutely elated that it was sad enough to evoke the sympathy of Q. Lol. Poor Charlie. He's so mocked...;) ::giggles::...Heh, well, shh. The whole Fulton err...doesn't count? XD Well, thanks again for the review, Q.

Quimbahs to the Second...Review...o.O Pretend that made sense...- Hee. i"m leik t0tal33 srry, d00d. i f331 leik s0 n-kompitant. 4giV m3?/!11? ::clears throat:: Yeah, anyway...I'm glad that you find it worthy of a temporary break from Charlie-mocking.

Stef- Lol...I'll try hard. :P There really is a lack of D1 stories around here...because everything is freaking about Adam. ::is not bitter coughhack:: I know right! Charlie/Connie, totally the OTP. Nothing else holds a candle to them anymore. XD And Tammy/Jesse and Julie/Peter have definitely entered the cuteness list...though Charlie/Julie will always hold a special place in my heart. Lol. Thanks hun.

Katie- Yay! ::claps and dances for you:: You poor thing! Glad you liked it, and I thanks for the review, babe. :)


	5. Part 4

A/N- Final chapter, everyone. This is the last one. It's longer than the rest, so I hope you all enjoy it. I've been busy with life, but I figured I really need to finish this. I apologize again for the long wait. :) Happy reading…or…something like that. Heh. You know what I mean. Thanks to everyone for the support, and as before, personal responses to reviews are at the end.

Disclaimer- ::growls:: Fine, fine. I don't own the Mighty Ducks…but I'd sell my left foot into slavery if I could own Charlie. ::sweet smile::

-Part 4-

"I've had it, Charlie! I can't handle it anymore!" The words echoed throughout the small apartment.

Charlie glanced down the hallway where his son and baby daughter were peacefully sleeping.

A deep-set frown etched itself firmly in his face as he told his wife to keep her voice down. He felt her anger burn into him, scorching the very thoughts he dared to think.

It had started out a deliriously happy marriage – just like a fairytale come to life. For several years, he played professional hockey for the Minnesota Wild while she went to college nearby. They had been married straight out of high school after dating all through senior year, and both were convinced they had found a soul mate in each other. He was an NHL- bound hockey star in the making, and she was a young ambitious beauty. Everything fit.

But as he watched the anger and malice bubbling up from behind his wife's cold eyes, he realized that after all that time they didn't truly know each other. They had both only seen what they wanted to see, and these problems were starting to rise to the surface in their strained marriage.

Like how she couldn't stand the fact that he had to travel in order to play away games with his team. It seemed like the most obvious thing to him. She had found the traveling new and exciting at first because she had been so sheltered growing up in her privileged little family. He had been different and exciting in the beginning: different from all the boys she had grown up with.

But it seemed that after seven years of a slowly deteriorating marriage, what she really wanted was the rich doctor or lawyer that could indulge and fulfil her every whim – that was something he knew he could never do.

He had seen the signs around the time his son turned three. Turns out she hadn't really planned on having a family - something Charlie couldn't believe they had never talked about.

She had never said it out loud; she just gave little hints of it in the way she complained about missing work, saying she didn't go to college and get a degree to sit at home with a kid all day.

She silently said it in the way she got upset when he told her he couldn't watch the kids because he had a game – as if it was a huge and inexcusable surprise. _She had work too_, she'd tell him. _Why did she always have to sacrifice?_

He could tell his six-year-old son Steven wasn't close to her. Evelyn, his thirteen-month-old daughter, was still young and Charlie wasn't sure if she had felt it the same or not. His wife was never the most doting mother, so Charlie had always made sure to include his son in his life and career as much as possible. Now he also worked on being home to make sure Evelyn was taken care of so the hired nanny who watched her could leave. It was a balancing act that only got rougher as time passed.

"Are you even LISTENING to me?! Do you even CARE?! This isn't what I asked for, Charlie! I didn't ask for a husband who's off playing a game while I'm expected to stay home and wipe noses!" she screamed.

"Yes you did!" he shouted back, feeling a dam break inside snap. "That's what HAPPENS when you get married and have kids. _You're married and have kids_! And it isn't like my occupation is a major shock or surprise. It isn't like I tricked you into anything. As for the kids, they're your _children_, Rachel! The least you could do is show a _little_ affection to them! Do you want them to grow up thinking their own mother doesn't want them?!"

She blew up, her voice raising to a loud, piercing yell. "You sure have a place to talk, off playing a stupid _game_ all the time! If it matters so much to you, why don't _you _stay home?!"

"It's my _job_, Rach! It always has been, and I don't remember it bothering you at all when we got married. For that matter, if me 'playing a stupid game' is so unacceptable, then why did you even marry me?! It isn't like it's a recent occurrence!" he yelled back, feeling his own voice escalate as they stepped over boundaries they had been careful to avoid before.

"Right now I'm not really sure! All you care about is your stupid game and your stupid friends! Why don't _you_ stay home and take some responsibility yourself?!"

They were so absorbed in their argument that they didn't notice a small, sandy-brown haired head peeking from down the hall.

Charlie was so angry that the insult she threw out about the game and his friends slid right through without mentioning. "Responsibility?! You're telling me to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY?! Who picks Steven up from school every day?! Who makes sure the baby sitter is paid and insures Evelyn is taken care of?! Who drops Steven off at his hockey practice all the time?! Who makes sure he and Evelyn don't starve, no matter how exhausting practice was that day since if it wasn't taken care of, then no one would do it?! You have got some nerve lecturing me about responsibility when you scarcely acknowledge that your own children even exist!"

The woman let out a loud and frustrated scream. "You act like I don't have a career! You know, a _real_ job that requires _college_ and an _education_! I'm not living in some dream world! I'm living in _reality_! It's time you let go of this little fantasy and join the rest of us!"

"What are you trying to say, that it 'it's a real job' because it's something I actually _enjoy_ and it doesn't fit into the mold of an executive sitting in an office?!"

"Well, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to hit a puck into a goal," she said coldly, her eyes narrowed harshly.

He felt himself wince at the verbal stab. He knew for a fact that she could tell how much it had hurt; his eyes revealed his emotions like an open book. They always had.

Several seconds of heated and angry silence passed between them, both glaring at the other.

Suddenly Charlie saw her break eye contact to go into their room; she came back out again, however this time she had bags in her hands.

He felt his stomach drop and head go light as he realized what was happening. He'd be lying if he said he didn't expect it to happen…but it actually happening? That was a different story.

His throat seemed to close up, and he was sure she could read the surprise and panic in his eyes by the cool expression she kept on her face. She was a born and raised elite to the end, no matter how you looked at it.

"Have a nice life, Charlie," she said simply, her eyes sustaining their icy glare.

"B-but you can't go," he managed to stutter out in his shock.

"Yes, Charlie, I can. I just can't handle this life, okay? It may be fine for you, but it isn't fine for me. I need to be free. You understand. Besides, we can't even get along anymore. This just isn't what I thought it would be," she said flatly with a matter-of-fact tone.

The words in Charlie's mind got caught in his throat. He knew most of it was true. Just minutes ago they had been screaming their heads off…it just hurt. It hurt more then he expected. She was leaving. Really leaving.

With no more words to be said, Charlie watched his wife of seven years just walk casually out of his life as if he were an old shirt she had grown tired of.

He felt numb inside as she turned around one last time. "And don't worry about the divorce. It won't be long before we're legally out of each other's hair. I can move on to bigger and better things with the freedom I need, and you can carry on with your life without me cramping your style. We've been living separate lies for years, Charlie. It's just time that someone has the guts to admit it," she finished, letting her final words linger in the tense air as she vanished from the small apartment. Vanished from his life. Just like that.

It wasn't until then that he heard the loud, escalating cry ringing out from the kids' room.

Charlie closed his eyes and fell to his knees, crumbling for only a moment. Let it sink in. She was gone and not coming back.

Slowly regaining control of the hollow ache that seemed to settle in him, he got to his feet again and started for the screaming child.

The face of his son peered out from the cracked open door. Charlie's heart dropped further when he saw the wide blue eyes staring back at him.

He gently ruffled his son's hair with affection as he passed, walking to the crib and scooping the tiny baby girl into his arms.

Immediately the wailing was replaced with soft whimpers and tiny hands clutching his shirt. Little blonde curls covered her head, and he ran his fingers over them, feeling the fine strands under his fingertips.

Another gentle tug called his attention to the small boy grabbing on to the bottom him of his shirt, holding on tightly.

He held the baby girl carefully in one arm and rested his hand on the side of the boy's head, feeling the quiet spread to every niche and corner of the of the apartment, engulfing them in a gentle hug of security.

As he looked at the two children holding on to him, he began thinking. He knew Evelyn probably didn't know what was going on, but he had a hunch that Steven did.

Charlie knelt down and sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor, letting Steven crawl into his lap as he held them close.

Yes, there were many things he just wasn't suited for. Things he would never add up to be. But when it all came down to it, most of those things didn't matter anymore. There were some things that weren't worth being enough for.

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Blonde-brain- I never was a huge Linda fan either…and she gives a good link for angst. :P Sorry for the long wait, and I hope you like! :)

French Chipmunk- ::squees for Charlie angst:: :)

Banksiesbabe99- ::giggles:: I'm glad you like it! ::dances::

Sarah- None of us like Linda. XD I'm glad you enjoyed it though. :P

Katie- Aww, sorry honey. Rubbed salt in your wound? Don't feel bad, you aren't like Linda!! XD ::pets you:: I feel all warm and fuzzy that you liked it! Lol. Sorry for the long wait. OO Eek! Thanks again. :)

A- Lol, it's all good. My thoughts on Adam shift…XD I'm glad you like it, and I hope you enjoy this last installment just as much. :)

Meme- Hey precious darling Memekins! XD Yes, darn Banks and Linda! Gosh dangit, just causing all kinds of trouble. ::giggles:: Oh, Linda can totally get pregnant, and then she'll break up with Banks for Connie, then Connie will break up with Linda for Guy, and then break up with Guy for Charlie!! XD ::hugs Connie:: Poor thing. Lol. ::holds Charlie close:: Thanks for the review, precious! :)

Agel15- They're evil. ::nods:: Glad you liked it, and sorry for the wait. :)

Kelly-992- I won't even bother to give much of a response to that. It was immature, and if you're going to play that way, fine. I'm not sinking to your level this time.

Brnnttebabe12- ::giggles:: XD It's okay, I'll forgive you if you forgive me for taking so long with this. Lol. :P

Tiff- ::smiles:: I'm glad you like my Charlie angst stories, and I'm happy that you liked the chapter. :) I love writing it, and I'm always so glad that people enjoy reading it.

Sophie- My precious darling bunny!! I miss you so much. ::weeps uncontrollably into pillow::…::tacklehugs you baaack!!:: It's okay, Soph. I still need to read your FINAL CHAPTER! I'm so happy it's there, but as you said, school is dumb. Aww. ::smiles and hugs you:: Thanks honey. Lol. ::beams and tackles you with love:: You have no idea how much that means to me, Soph. Really, it makes me feel so good inside that you think I've improved. ::squees:: 3 Soon enough I shall review your completed "Defiance" and give you lots and lots of well-deserved love. It's so great to hear from you again. Drop me a line some time. :) My email box is always open. Lol.

Stef- Hey Steffie-dear! I know right, poor Charlie. Lol. I'm soo cruel. But we'll make him all better. ::pets him and reminds him that he at least has Connie in the RPG:: XD Bwahaha! I have CONVERTED YOU to my Charlie/Connie ways!! ::does the "go Chels!" dance!:: Lol. RPG couples rock the house, yo. Lol. XD Charlie/Connie is totally a better couple than Connie/Guy. ::giggles and blows a kiss:: Catch ya in the RPG!!


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